Lost in the Shadows of Love
by Life-ofCrime
Summary: Marisa gets lost in the Arctic Institute. Her husband has a presentation, she is lost. Trying to find her way back she meets a man, and she starts to learn what love is.
1. Lost in the Institute

Rated K+

All respects to author

On a Sunday with the birds chirping loudly, a monkey sat on the ledge of a fence, watching his other half reading a story, on the porch nearby. The woman had met a wealthy man that was a politician, he was handsome and he was high in power. His name was Edward Coulter. Mrs. Coulter was just sitting on the porch reading, she had been happy about just getting married a few days ago. The monkey found a worm and started to rip it apart, Marisa felt a little bit of excitement run up her breast.

"Marisa," called Edward, coming out of the large house they both owned.

"What are you doing darling?"

"Reading a book, why what is it?""

"I wanted to know if you wanted to go with me tonight to meet a few friends of mine. Is that ok?" Edward said sitting next to his wife. The monkey daemon came down and sat on Marisa's shoulder, looking at the lion daemon. Marisa put her hands into the book and sat it down on her lap, looked at her husband and said with a passionate smile. "Sure I'd love to." Edward kissed his wife's cheek and went into the house and worked on the rest of his presentation. Marisa looked at the ground then her daemon.

"Why doesn't he love us?"

"I don't know?" was his only reply.

The two began to read once more. Over her life she thought how it would be to fall in love, but she had never experienced it for herself. Edward only loved his work and his status, all he thought of was he had a beautiful wife which made Marisa and her daemon shiver of the thought of just being a beautiful "pet".

That night Marisa and Edward headed to Royal Artic Institute, where Edward's presentation was held. Edward had to prepare for this in front of all his friends and all of his colleagues, especially some famous explorers. Carlo Boreal was standing next to Edward, Boreal's daemon was next to the lion like she may bite her in the throat. "

"So, how are you planning on pulling this off Edward?" Carlo asked as he moved to the other side of the curtain was. They both were in the back trying to come with an idea of including this.

"I don't know, I'll think of something," he said walking to the stage, as it opened. "Now everyone I have an explain that many things the world has that may lie in a few years.."

Marisa wasn't truly listening to what her husband was saying, she simply didn't care, nor did she even bother to listen. In her eyes he was just blabbering about nothing and she was sure that his hard work would come to nothing but disappointment. Marisa and her daemon both knew that he did not care about her, or love her. Edward went on, "You all can see why this makes indeed a lot of sense.."

All he did was ramble on and on. Marisa could tell her daemon was getting board so she whispered "Come up here," and patted her lap. The monkey came up at once and sat boardly in her lap and listened. Marisa knew at once how board he was, in her mind she was thinking about taking a walk. Marisa walked from her chair and headed into the institute with all the doors open and all the things in there she had seen, it fascinated her by heart. She walked into a room that had on the wall, Ladies and walked in. "

That was boring wasn't it?" Marisa's daemon asked trying not to be loud, because someone else was in the room.  
"To be honest with you it quite was," she said to him as she washed her hands in the small sink. The lady emerged from the restroom stall and found Marisa washing her hands. She joined her and said "Hello Mrs. Coulter," putting her hands into the water as Marisa was picking up a towel to dry her hands.  
"Hello Ms Rya," Marisa said in a polite tone.  
"Your husband is an awesome speaker I must say," said Ms Rya in a passionate voice that made Marisa feel a bit unconformable talking to her.  
"Very well indeed, I think I would quite say so myself." Marisa said wanting to say less because her husband was boring her when he spoke.

"Well I am going to hear more from him so I"ll see you out there." she said putting the towel into the disposal.

"You too."said Marisa in a unkind tone.  
Marisa's daemon groaned and said "Lets not listen to him blabber anymore, lets explore some more of the institute," Marisa looked at her daemon in a way she never did before, she disagreed.

"Edward was working on this for as long as I can remember, we can't let him down." she looked into his monkey eyes, his black hands went gently on from his side to his face. He said at last "Your right Marisa. Lets go."

"Very well that's get it over and done with." Marisa said as they both exited the restroom.  
Suddenly Marisa couldn't remember which way she was suspense to go back to the stage.  
"Do you remember which way we came from?" she asked her daemon.

His golden shoulders shrugged and he said "I can't remember."

A man walked out of the men's restroom, and found a beautiful woman standing wondering where to go. He must of guessed that she was lost. Her back was turned at an angle, he didn't see her face but he walked up stood there waiting what to say. His daemon purred in her snow leopard forum.

The man walked up to where Marisa was standing. She took no notice of him standing not too far away from her. The man finally said, "Are you lost,"he said with his voice horse and husky. Marisa turned to him and jumped a little, the monkey's fur was standing at end.  
"No, I am not thank you," Marisa stared at him for a second he was tall, handsome, proud and brave. The man and daemon looked at each other, they both knew they were lost.

"Then why are you just standing there?" he said jumping to a conclusion. When she turned the man couldn't keep his eye's from the sight, she was so beautiful her face looked so innocent and passionate and he felt a grim of pleasure come up in him.

"We are trying to see where to go that is all," Marisa said with a compassionate voice of courage. She knew it wasn't right to flirt with the man but he was so handsome, she couldn't resist him. His blue eyes watching her every move as the time came right. She was a married woman and she couldn't see that her husband had any kind of compassion that this man had for her, she felt weird and her emotions lit up and she almost cried but she was strong enough to fight it. Just the glance of his comfortable smile had a liking that sparkled in her lonely heart.

The daemon's even had a glance of curious feeling toward one another. The snow leopard looked at the monkey and bowed in politeness while the monkey did the same. It was almost a clear liking in the way their daemon's were acting.

"Where are you headed?" he asked "I can help if you are lost?"

"Back to the stage, where the presentation is being held," Marisa said as she almost blushed with embarrassment. The man gently guided her back to the presentation, the thing that fascinated Marisa was the man's courage, bravery, his proud intelligence and how proud he was. Was she falling for him? Was his attraction? His bravery? What ever it was Marisa felt a strong attraction to him. They both where back into the presentation area. Marisa was glad to be back into the area, just because she didn't want to let her husband down.

"Thank you," Marisa said in another one of her passionate voices.

"Your most welcome," he said kissing her on the hand. At once Marisa could hear her husband's voice that made her a little uneasy. The man started to walk off where he was headed. Marisa's heart ached and she felt a bit of sadness fill it. She called out,

"Hey sir!" He turned to her and he answered.  
"Yes ma'am?"

Marisa was trying to find out what she was going to say when she finally figured it out.  
"Would you like to sit with us?" she said with her beautiful eyes glittering passionately.  
"Well I do have a meeting with this special man named Edward Coulter this afternoon. I suppose I could." When he said a special man Marisa almost laughed out loud. She smiled with great passion and led the way where she was going to sit.

The man was sitting where Marisa was and he could see she was board, and he almost laughed it was a funny sight. The man whispered and said, "What is your name?" he asked as she quickly looked at him.  
Marisa answered by saying. "My name is Marisa," she said not even bothering with her last name. "and yours?"

"My name is Asriel," he said smiling while they both finished listening to the boring speech.


	2. Could we be?

Edward continued his boring speech, Marisa sat with Asriel waiting for it to be over with. Asriel looked at Marisa. He loved the loved the way she would get immediately bored and just try to sleep. The monkey was perched in her lap, his eyes were half awake. 

"Did he force you to come here?" Asriel asked as Marisa watched Edward on the stage. Her emotions filled her gaze with a sight of sadness, and it felt as if it was her own world.

"Pardon?" Marisa said as she looked into his fierce blue eyes. She loved to look at his handsome look, his passionate face made her irresistible to his smile. She started to have some strange thoughts about him since they met. She couldn't figure out why she had such strong feelings for him.

"Did Mr. Coulter force you to come here and listen to his speech?" He repeated himself for the pleasure of her looking at him, and blushing. Marisa knew deep inside she liked him, but she was already married to another man, a politician. She thought for a moment, a clever thought entered her mind as she looked at him again. She would tell him a little of the truth and may lie. She smiled at that thought.

"Well," she said as she folded her tea bag over her spoon. She took her tea and drank a few small sips, and continued. "I have known him for many months." She looked directly at him in a passionate way. He watched her, she smelled like a swift breeze of flowers, her face was beautiful. She had beautiful curls of blond. She smiled so confidently like she knew what she would do.

It suddenly grew very dark, now Edward was going to show his Photogram slide shows. There was all sorts of armor bears, witches, and many special people with their daemon's. He had encountered so many creatures that he was heavy on the gossip about meeting them.

The reason that Marisa grew instantly bored was due to the fact that she heard it non stop in their conversations, that is all he ever would bring up, he had also shown her hundreds of times. Deep in her heart she knew he didn't love her; she didn't love him she only married him for his wealth and power. All her life she was raised by gyptians and was a part of the orphanage for a while. She wanted to experience love, and she wasn't getting it from her husband. All her dreams almost came true until she met Asriel. When Marisa thought of those things racing in her mind her daemon became discontent and a rage began. Marisa started to cry into the darkness, no one could see her, nor care if she would try to keep her secrets in but she couldn't. She didn't try hard enough.

Asriel moaned and his daemon purred beside him, Marisa laughed a little bit. He smiled and looked at her face; it was wet. "What's wrong?" He said as he whipped her tears from her eyes. She smiled at him, in a way she hadn't done before. A warm feeling rushed into her breast, a feeling of love. Was she falling in love with him?

"Come here," he said as he got up, and took her into another room away from the speech. "you can tell me." he said warmly.

"Everything is fine Asriel." she said as she loved hearing the sound of his warm and passionate voice. "Mr. Coulter isn't just any man I met only once," she said with sadness. "I'm his.." She didn't get to finish because he was touching her face with much love in the warmth of his hands, the smooth touch of his palm made it irresistible for their daemon's to want a little from them. His eyes locked with hers so greedily for love and strong passion for each other that their heads were moving slowly toward each other's own embrace. Their daemon's were circling each other's movements. All of a sudden they heard clapping the presentation was over. "Marisa," Asriel said as he looked at her. She started to cry again and he could see the tears coming off her face. She looked at him for the longest moment, it seemed like forever, but she turned away from him. "Marisa where are you going?" He said following her. Sadness filled her gaze upon him with a bit of anger for being married. She said nothing and kept walking, then pacing her way to the stage where her husband was. Marisa could see that everyone had gotten up and was talking to Edward. She was going to sit down at the table and drink the rest of her tea until her husband came next to her.

"Darling are you alright?" Edward asked as he got out a handkerchief from his pocket. His daemon was licking the monkey's face, which made him flinch.

"I thought you were amazing darling, I am happy for you." she lied she knew why she was crying. It was simple, she was in love with another man and the one she was with would never wipe her tears away. He would never take her into a private room and calm her down. He would never ever kiss her in public, he wouldn't even sleep in the same bed as her at night. Then she thought of Asriel again, a warm feeling came to mind. Just the smooth hand made her feel comfortable and secure. His soft words wanted him to hold her into his arms. She was falling in love with Asriel. She wasn't going to show her husband that.

"Thank you Marisa." Edward said as he kissed her cheek. Then Asriel went up to Mr. Coulter.

"Well hello there Lord Asriel." Edward said as he shacked his hand.

"Hello Mr. Coulter, how have you been?"

"Just tired." he laughed.

Asriel looked at Marisa, she looked at him. "This is my wife Marisa." said Edward. Asriel looked at Marisa, this time she could see the sadness with in his blue eyes. "Nice to meet you Mrs. Coulter." He said shaking her hand like a gentleman.

"You too." she said softly. She looked at Asriel and thought he hates me now doesn't he? Yeah I think so for being married. Her daemon looked at her and agreed.

Marisa could see Asriel and Edward talking to one another. She felt weak and stiff for she wished she would just want them to get done. She saw them both get done talking about thirty minutes later. She saw Asriel walking to a ledge by himself. Looking into the sky. Marisa got up with out a word and Carlo Boreal had gotten in her way.

"Well hello Mrs. Coulter, you look lovely." he said with his snake daemon flickering her tongue.

"Well thank you Carlo." she said with an angry voice. She hated that man, she had wished that he didn't exist. She moved past him and went towards the window next to Asriel.

"Asriel," she said walking towards him with a heavy heart. He didn't move a muscle. "I'm sorry I lied to you I wanted to tell you but..." she heisted.

"I see." he said angerly this time.

"See what?" she asked.

"Do you love him?" he said not whiling to look at her.

"Pardon?" she said she took that rudely.

"I said-"

"I heard you, but I don't know." she went to the ledge and looked into the sky. "I don't know if I do." he looked at her for so long it felt as if he was in his own world. Just the two of them. "No one has ever understood me." she laughed a little trying to hide her feelings. "Edward doesn't care how I feel, I am just a pretty girl for him I guess." she laughed a little but started to cry.

"I will do everything in my power to understand you Marisa." he said softly, putting his arms out for her. She just looked at him for the longest moment.

"You aren't like any other man I'd ever known."

He smiled, so did she. She embraced him so tightly that their daeomns would start to play. He whipped her tears away so quickly that she looked at him. A understanding flew into the minds of their daemons. Their eyes were locked to each other's and they kissed.


	3. Boreal's Annoyance

In a kiss so passionate it made Marisa's heart feel warm and beat rapidly in her chest. The d?on's were digging their claws into each other, the snow leopard bowed and the monkey followed her movements like in a dream.

Edward was standing by the stage, his lion d?on beside him. He had a feeling in his gut that told him to act smart for Lord Asriel. Lord Asriel was the most well known explorers of his time, and he was going to have a important meeting with him. Maybe he will make me well known? God, my meeting with him is going to start in an hour. I can't be nervous now.

"Mr. Coulter." said a voice a few feet away from him.

"Yes?" he said turning, it was Lord Boreal.

"What do you want now?" Edward said rolling his eyes.

"You pulled it off pretty well."

Edward looked at him. "What do you want?"

"You know what I want Edward." he said with an evil stare. - - - 

"Asriel look." Marisa said looking into the sky, she was still thinking about being in his arms kissing him. She felt warm thinking of it, he was holding her so tight that she blushed and felt wanted for the first time in her life. But, still she felt attached to Asriel, like someone in love.

"Ah, I see." he said kissing her brow. Asriel took her into his arms and said, "The star Lyra, is beautiful like you." he laughed a little. His hand was on hers and they crossed with in the indents of the finger line.

"Very funny." she said joining his laughter. Her heart was beating so loud she felt it become weak.

"Theres something I want to show you Marisa." Asriel said as he looked into her blue eyes that glittered.

Asriel looked at her, and passed her from the ledge. They both came out together and then Lord Boreal came over by the two of them. Marisa gasped. She felt a bit of anger as well, all that man would do was but a evil look over of things in a twisted plot, and make her against Asriel. She didn't want that to happen.

"Whats going on you two?" he asked with his snake d?on creeping with her currupt mind, thinking the same as his.

"We were just talking about a star." Asriel said moving away from Marisa's side. His hand came free from hers.

"Shes a nice lady isn't she my lord?"

"Indeed she is." he said looking at Marisa, they felt like different people at that moment.

"What is it you want?" she asked

"Your husband was wondering where you were, he wanted me to ask you to dance with him." He said eager for her to leave Asriel's side.

Marisa looked at Asriel, she could see he wanted to show her something important and meant something to him, but what would her husband think of her absence?

"Marisa did he do anything to you?" Carlo said as he came running to her side as his d?on was next to the monkey. The monkey growled at her and came over by the snow leopard.

"He would never do anything bad to me? And why would you even think that!?" Marisa demanded.

"Oh, I thought he might of been hurting you. I just like to make sure your alright."

Marisa glared at him, "Just get out of my sight I will live." she said angrily.

"As you wish." he said surrendered with his hands in the air.

Asriel returned to Marisa's side, "Does that man bother you?" he asked. She looked at him this time her eyes were glittering all over again. "Yes. All the time."

Asriel laughed and his d?on purred. "Are you still coming?" he asked as Marisa was just looking at the sky again.

"Where is it at?"

"You'll see Marisa. You will see." he smiled.

The air wasn't too cold even though it was late may, the evening was sudden and full of thoughts that arose from it. The fine liner of champagne and Tokay was going to make the day seem romantic. All seemed lost in the time that was going to come before it. 


	4. Darkness of Love

A golden shadow dashed across the floor, leaving the sound of it's claws against the hard core stone. A snow leopard joined him with much kindness. In the lobby in the distance of the stage, away from the chaos and the bore sound of Mr. Coulter's voice led to a man and a woman.

"This way Marisa," said Asriel as he led the way to a large area. There was a large area within the linear of the different colors of timid brown. There was an piece of art work that was a magnificent piece of work. Within it was a man and woman. They were both wealthy, their d?on's were a ermine and a wolf. The ermine was snow white, and the wolf had some different colors with in them. Asriel stopped and looked up at the painting. A painting that meant a lot to him. "these two were famous explorers even before I was born." He said as his voice became heavy of emotion that lingered in his heart.

"Who were they Asriel?" Marisa asked leaning toward him, she was paying very close attention to him. Asriel didn't look back to her, he just seemed emotional and Marisa knew how he felt. "Asriel? Are you alright?" Marisa asked. "you don't have to continue if you don't want to."

"I am going to." he said with his voice seeming harsh. He still didn't look at her full in the face, she sort of knew he wasn't going to. He stood tall paying all of his attention to the painting, the walls cracked and noises came with in them. The snow leopard was quiet, she didn't purr at all. Asriel just was quiet, ignoring Mrs. Coulter all together.

"Asriel?" she asked being curious. Her hair was stabbing her in the back of the neck, what was he going to do? What was he going to say? Marisa took his hand which made him move. Asriel looked at her at last. Her eyes were glittering with a passionate remark, her heart was getting warm in her chest. "Are you going to tell me? Or do you just want to stand there and not have some fun?" she asked raising a brow.

Asriel turned his back to her once more, ignoring her presence. "Well this painting is of my mother and my father," he said as Marisa came up next to him with a heavy heart. He smiled to see her come so close to him, no other woman he nor she knew would do that as they did. He continued, "they both were on so many adventures that I never saw them Marisa, you know?" he asked grabbing her hand in his.

Marisa looked at his eyes, they had so much love and passion in them it made her blush. Then she looked down. "I don't know how it feels to have some love from parents Asriel." she said still looking down at her daemon on the floor. "My mother didn't care about me, nor my father. They both just left me in a orphanage.." Marisa had to stop, she just started to cry, that's all she wanted to do was to cry for her life, but to her surprise she kept in the tears even though her eyes were in puddles. "Your mother and father loved you didn't they Asriel?"

"I don't know I never saw them. But I am sorry Marisa." he said giving her a hug in his arms, she felt as soft in his arms as she had ever in her life. She looked at him, put her hands on his face.

"You do not have to be sorry for their actions, I am over it and them." she smiled and she embraced him in a passionate kiss. The kiss felt as if it was going over board, their daemon's were following each others movements and digging their claws into their flesh. They were all alone in the room and there was a star watching them, the star Lyra.

Marisa was thinking of Edward the whole time she was kissing Asriel. She knew something inside her said do not do this but she really was starting to love Asriel more and more. Asriel and her where on the wall now their souls together as one, the daemon's were still playing. The heat in the room got more intense by the moment, Marisa could feel his hands in her blond hair, her head was swirling back and forth and she kissed him more when their bodies were together.

Edward stood by the other side by the stage, he had a glass of Tokay in his right hand and his lion daemon was beside him.

"Good afternoon Edward." said a man with a mouse daemon.

Edward turned around to find it was a wealthy man named Adolf Hustler. He was a owner of a wealthy college in south west England. This man would just brag about everything.

"Hello how are you sir Hustler?" asked Edward with a sigh.

"I am great thank you," he said as he drank some of his Tokay. "By the way where is your wife?" he asked raising a brow.

"I don't know where Marisa is," Edward said as he looked around the room looking for her, but he didn't succeed.

"Well I warned you about this one Edward didn't I?" he said as Edward just gave him a ugly look. "I don't think she would ever be faithful to you."

"I think she would." other wise he did not know where she was he did trust her or did he?

"By the way," Mr. Hustler said, "you should dance with her if you find her, its going to start soon." he said as he walked away from Edward. All Edward could think of was where is wife was.

Marisa was thinking of what her life would be like without the power she was possessing as Mrs. Coulter, she was wealthy, beautiful and a politicians wife. That is all she had ever dreamt of. She would throw it all away for Asriel? Sure he was a handsome man and all, but what kind of power did he posses?

Marisa broke from the kiss, Asriel was still kissing her neck with such passion and greed that Marisa had to push him off her a little. Asriel looked at Marisa, she did the same, he looked confused but she wasn't going to let this go any further.

"Asriel I can't." she heisted. Her daemon began to part from the snow leopard, his paw outstretched for her paw.

He looked sad, his hair was ravished, his tie undone, and his shirt was a little unbuttoned. "I see." he said getting away from her side. She had gotten up; got her things and just before leaving the room she looked at him in the eyes, it seemed like forever she did love him, but her head said don't and her heart said yes. 

Marisa ran through the halls, as her daemon guided her back to the presentation area. "Over here Marisa," he whispered in his monkey form. She followed him, as her dress was up to her knees. She began to hear some laughter and talking, she knew at once where she was. Marisa smiled sweetly and then put her arm out for her daemon to perch on her shoulder. "Now we can spend time over here right? What are we going to do now?" The Golden Monkey asked her all sorts of questions but she didn't answer him out loud, she told him through her thoughts.

Marisa saw everyone starting to dance, then she saw Edward. "Marisa darling where were you?" he asked as she looked deeply in his eyes. A small lie filled her gaze.

"I was just trying to find my way though the art room. Is that ok?" she asked cleverly.

"That's fine darling." he said smiling.

Marisa just looked at him with a fake smile, as she now knew it she almost had an affair. She thought of Asriel again, she started to wonder where he was and how he thought of her now that she blew him off.

"Would you like to dance Marisa?" Edward asked as he tried to get Marisa's attention from the view that fascinated her heart so.

Marisa flashed another fake smile at him and said, "Sure Edward, I would love to." sure she would have even more if Asriel was dancing with her rather then her husband.

Everyone in the room was now dancing, they all twirled around in circles and everything. With a romantic night worth it, Marisa looked in a shadow and saw a man in the darkness with a snow leopard daemon beside him. He looked at her, she looked at him for a long time. Her eyes began to get watery and her emotions started up again, all the time was just dancing with Edward she could have been with Asriel. She did love him didn't she? All that time dancing with her husband, she was thinking of the time she met Asriel for the first time. She twirled again and again then finally looking at the shadow that he was in the love she found, was lost. In the darkness of despair. 


End file.
